Composite bucket-hydraulic dredge

ABSTRACT

A chopper hydraulic centrifugal pump in one wall of a boommounted dipper of either the scoop or backhoe or convertible type empties the dipper automatically. Such a dipper can be selfconvertible to function as a scoop or as a backhoe by having opposite end wall openings selectively closable by an unstable flip-flop, self-reversing gate.

United States Patent 1 Vaughn Nov. 27, 1973 [5 COMPOSITEBUCKET-HYDRAULIC 2,874,253 2 1959 Sharp et al 74 181 x DREDGE 2,826,9193/1958 Klingler 74/18.] [75] Inventor: James E. Vaughn, Elma, Wash.FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 73 Assigneez Vaughan Inc. Montesano,189,133 2/1957 Austria 37/71 Wash- 1,236,573 6/1960 France 1,048,50611/1966 Great Britain 37/71 [22] Filed: May 14, 1971 2 Appl 143 45Primary Examiner-Robert E. Pulfrey Assistant Examiner-Clifford D.Crowder Att0rney--Robert W. Beach [52] U.S. C1 37/58, 37/71, 74/18.][51] Int. Cl E02f 3/92 [58] Field of Search 37/71, 58, 6467; ABSTRACT74/184 A chopper hydraulic centrifugal pump in one wall of aboom-mounted dipper of either the scoop or backhoe [56] References orconvertible type empties the dipper automatically. UNITED STATES PATENTSSuch a dipper can be self-convertible to function as a 3,148,464 3/1964Jones 415/206X s p or a a backhoe y having pp end wall 3,624,933 12/1971Faldi 37/71 X openings selectively closable by an unstable flip-flop,2,952,083 9/1960 Forkner 37/71 elf-reversing gate,

413,091 10/1889 Riker 37/71 X 548,242 10/1895 Wood et a]. 37/7] UX 5Claims, 6 Drawing Figures Patented Nov. 27, 1973 2 SheetsSheet 1 ArmeA// Patented Nov. 27, 1973 3,774,323

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 COMPOSITE BUCKET-HYDRAULIC DREDGE The principal objectof the present invention is to provide a composite bucket-hydraulicdredge which is more effective than either a hydraulic dredge or abucket dredge, and which can function in situations suitable either fora hydraulic dredge or for a bucket dredge, as well as in situationswhere neither a hydraulic dredge nor a bucket dredge would beparticularly effective. More specifically, it is an object to provide adredge which is more effective than a hydraulic dredge because thebucket or scoop device provides a controlled area in which vegetation ischopped up and the solids are churned into suspension in liquid mediafor most efficient handling by a hydraulic pump. The

dredge is more effective than a bucket dredge because it can handlematerial that a bucket dredge could not handle, and makes the bucketdipper self-emptying.

A further object is to provide a dredge which is versatile in operationin that its principle can be applied to a power shovel type of dredge orto a backhoe type of dredge, or to a dredge having a dipper which isconvertible automatically so as to operate either as a shovel scoop oras a backhoe bucket.

Another object is to provide a dredge which is small, light and compactfor its capacity, and which is very maneuverable and readily portable.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a power shovel or scoop type of dredgewith parts broken away, and FIG. 2 is an elevation of the scoop of thatdredge viewed from line 2-2 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a plan of the samedredge.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of a backhoe type of dredge,parts of which are broken away.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of a portion of an automatically convertiblescoop and bucket dredge with parts broken away.

FIG. 6 is a top perspective of a chopper hydraulic centrifugal pump,constituting one component of the dredges of the present invention,having parts of the adjacent structure broken away.

Customarily dredges are either of the hydraulic type or of themechanical type. Dredges of the hydraulic type usually are not effectiveto dredge compacted material and are used principally to dredge silt,sand and small gravel. Dredges of the mechanical type may be of theclamshell bucket type, of the endless bucket conveyor type, or of thesingle backhoe or scoop bucket type. In the latter case the bucket maybe self-emptying by an endless belt bucket conveyor or by a screwconveyor. Such mechanical dredges are not effective for loose, easilyfluidized material, and are used principally for dredging material whichis quite compact.

The composite dredge of the present invention may be designed either forscooping material or for hoeing material, or can be designed to performalternatively either a scooping or a hoeing type of operation. Thedredge illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is of the shovel or scoop type.The dredge of FIG. 4 is of the backhoe type. The dredge shown in FIG. 5is convertible automatically to be used either as a scoop or as a hoe.Each of these dredges includes the combination of a dipper whichconfines material to be dredged within its walls and channels suchmaterial to a centrifugal pump which empties from the dipper thematerial to be dredged which is confined by it.

An excellent type of pump for use in the composite bucket hydraulicdredge of the present invention is a centrifugal impeller type of pump,such as that shown in patent 3,155,046 having chopping ability. Suchpump has the capability of being able to pump effectively thin or thicksludge material and can chop objects such as weeds and sticks. In FIG. 1such a pump 1 is shown mounted on the end of pump drive shaft housing 2,which is swingably supported by its opposite end on a trunnion shaft 3.The opposite ends of such shaft are mounted in bearings carried bybrackets 4 secured on the deck of a barge 5.

The mechanism for driving the pump may be an internal combustion engine,an electric motor, or a hydraulic motor generally designated 6. If suchdrive mechanism is mounted on the deck of the barge, it can drive abevel gear or angle drive 7 to turn the pump shaft 8 shown in FIG. 6 asextending through the housing 2 from the drive mechanism to the pumpimpeller.

The pump drive shaft housing 2 is located between and extends parallelto side rods 9 of the dipper boom. The swinging ends of these rods areconnected by a crossbar 10, and the pivoted ends of such rods areconnected by the crossbar 11. The central portions of the rods can beconnected by a crossbar 12. The pivot ends of such dipper boom rods arecarried by sleeves 13 encircling the shaft 3, which may be secured tosuch shaft if the shaft rotates, or may be pivotally mounted on suchshaft if the shaft is fixed. In either case the boom can be swungelevationally by a fluid pressure jack l4 pivotally connected between aside rod 9 and a bracket 4 mounting one end of shaft 3.

The dipper 15 carried by the swinging end of the boom rods 9 is of thescoop or shovel type. The dipper, shown as being of the scoop type inFIG. 1, includes a back end wall 16 having in it a generally centralaperture 17 in which the casing of pump 1 is received. The pump issupported independently of the dipper 15 by its drive shaft housing 2extending through an aperture in the center of the crossbar 10. Theopposite ends of the crossbar are connected to the back end wall 16 ofthe scoop through straps 18 secured to the crossbar by the pivots 18'.The scoop can be tilted relative to the boom rods 9 and drive shafthousing 2 about such pivots by altering the length of the scoop-tiltingjack 19 connected by a pivot 20 to the inclined top flange 21 of thescoop and to the central crossbar 12 by pivot 22.

Varying the length of jack 19 to alter the angle between the boom andthe scoop 15 will enable the back end wall 16 of the scoop to bemaintained in a vertical position for different depths of water. Theaperture 17 around the casing of pump 1 can be sealed with respect tothe pump in the various angularly adjusted relationships of the scoopand boom by a flexible boot 23 encircling the pump as shown in FIGS. 1,5 and 6.

The box-like scoop structure of rectangular horizontal cross section iscompleted by the side or lateral walls 24 extending forward fromopposite edges of the back end wall 16, and side inclined top flanges 25forming hip joints with the back inclined top flange 21. The scoop caneffect a cutting action by an angle lip 26 on the lower edge of the backwall 16. Material confined within the chamber between the back end wall16 and the lateral walls 24 of the scoop is-channeled by such lateralwalls and drawn into the pump 1 by the suction which it produces, so asto empty the scoop of material ahead of its back end wall 16 and cuttinglip 26 and between its lateral walls.

Chunks of material drawn toward the pump intake opening can be broken upby the stirring or clearing rotor 27 mounted on the end of the pumpdrive shaft 8 and located outside of the pump housing to rotate past theintake apertures of the pump. Slurry sucked into the intake apertures isexpelled by centrifugal force through the flexible pump discharge line28, which is connected to the pump housing by an elbow 29.

The apparatus shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is used for scooping a channelahead of the scow l of any desired width. Suitable warps W can beprovided for warping the boom-supporting end of the scow transversely toestablish the width of the channel to be dredged, and lines can beprovided to pull the dredge forward to move the scoop into material tobe dredged. The cutting lip 26 will cut the material at the desireddepth, as indicated in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 4 the dipper 15 is of the backhoe bucket type, including aleading end back wall 30 having an apertured portion 31 receiving thepump 1 so that its intake side faces into the bucket. In this instancethe bucket may be supported entirely from the pump drive shaft housing 2because there is no need for adjusting the tilt of the bucket relativeto the housing. The bucket can be braced by a thrust link 32 having oneend connected to a bucket bracket by pivot 33 and its other endconnected to the pump drive shaft housing by a pivot 34 carried by ananchor band 34' clamped or welded to the pump drive housing.

The top 35 of the box-like backhoe bucket 15 will be generallyhorizontal, and the trailing front end wall 36 of such bucket will beupright, the particular angle of such walls depending upon the angle ofthe boom formed by the drive shaft housing 2. The bucket side walls orlateral 37, the top 42 and the trailing wall 36 close the upper portionof the bucket so that the opening into the bucket is only through thebottom, a portion of the leading end and a portion of the sides. Theheight of the back leading end 30 is shown as being much less than thatof the trailing front end 36. The amount of opening at the sides isdetermined by the location and angularity of the lower edges 39 of theside walls 37.

The lower edges 38 of the trailing end wall 36 and of the lateral walls37 constitute cutting edges that are moved to determine the amount ofmaterial to be dredged that enters the backhoe bucket 15. A typical typeof operation for which this type of backhoe dredge is well suited is forcutting back the shore of a lake or the bank of a stream. The barge 5can be moved toward such shore or bank with the drive shaft housing boomraised sufficiently so that the cutting lip 38 clears the top of thebank. When the barge 5 is inthe proper position, the boom will belowered so that the cutting lip rests on the top of the bank at apredetermined distance back from the edge, such as a distance generallyequal to the spacing between the leading end wall 30 and the trailingend wall 36.

The weight of the backhoe bucket, pump and boom will depress the cuttingedge into the top of the bank, and the stirring action and suction ofthe pump 1 will begin to draw the material confined within the bucketinto the pump. Withdrawal of such material from the interior of thebucket by the pump will undermine the support of the bucket, and thebucket will move downward, the cutting lip scouring the bank as thebucket descends. By such operation the boom can be lowered until thebucket has reached the desired depth to which the dredging is to beaccomplished, as indicated by the horizontal ground line in FIG. 4,after which the boom can be raised and either the barge can be movedtoward the shore again or can be swung sidewise or the barge movedsidewise to take another bite along the shore or bank.

In FIG. 5 the dredge is shown as having a dipper 15" that isautomatically convertible for operation either as a scoop or as abackhoe bucket. The dipper is tiltable by jack 19 as described inconnection with FIGS. 1 to 3. This box-like dipper includes a rear endwall 40 having in it an aperture receiving the casing of pump 1 andwhich is closed around the pump by the flexible annular boot 23. The top42 extends between the upper por tion of the back end wall 40 and theupper portion of the front end wall 43. Both of these end walls are muchshorter than the opposite side or lateral walls 44 so as to provide oneend opening below the lower edge of end wall 43 and another openingbelow the lower edge of end wall 46. Such openings may extend from thebottom of the bucket upward approximately one-half of its depth.

The end openings below the margins 45 and 46 are closed alternatively byan unstable, flip-flop flap or gate 47 having its lower edge portionmounted on a pivot rod 48. Such rod may be spaced above the lower edgesof side walls 44 and the gate 47 a short distance if desired, so thatthe lower edge margin of the flap or gate will form an overhanging lipprojecting downward from it hinge to serve as a cutting lip. Such lipwould be upright when the gate is in the solid-line position shown inFIG. 5 and would extend generally horizontally when the gate is in thebroken-line position shown in that figure.

When the gate 47 is in the solid-line position of FIG. 5 closing theopening below end wall 43, the dredge can be used as a backhoe, asdescribed in connection with FIG. 4, and can also be used to deepen alake or a channel by moving the barge to pull the dredge dipper in thedirection indicated by the solid-line arrow in FIG. 4. If the barge ismoved in the opposite direction to push the boom ahead of it, pressureof material to be dredged against the right side of the gate, as seen inFIG. 5, will automatically flop the gate into the brokenline positionshown in that figure so that the dipper will serve as a scoop in themariner described in connection with FIG. 1.

I claim:

1. A dredge comprising a boom normally inclined downwardly, boom pivotmeans supporting the upper end of said boom for elevational swinging ofits lower end, a dipper mounted on the lower end of said boom, and ahydraulic pump including a casing mounted on the lower end of said boomindependently of but adjacent to said dipper, said dipper including awall extending transversely of said boom and having an aperture thereinreceiving said hydraulic pump casing and lateral walls spaced apart,located respectively at opposite sides of said hydraulic pump casing andprojecting from said first wall in the direction away from said boom fora substantial distance to provide a chamber therebetween confiningmaterial to be pumped by said hydraulic pump and channeling suchmaterial for flow toward said pump, said hydraulic pump casing having anintake opening in one wall thereof opening directly into said confiningand channeling chamber, and said hydraulic pump including a rotativeimpeller in said hydraulic pump casing located immediately adjacent tothe side of said hydraulic pump casing intake opening opposite saidconfining and channeling chamber.

2. The dredge defined in claim 1, in which the dipper wall having anaperture therein receiving the hydraulic pump casing constitutes a firstend wall and the dipper has a second end wall spaced from the firstdipper end wall and bridging between the lateral walls, and the intakeopening of the hydraulic pump casing is directed downwardly and towardsaid second end wall.

3. The dredge defined in claim 1, in which the dipper has an open bottomand opposite open end portions adjacent to said open bottom, a gateshiftable into positions for respectively obstructing either end openingselectively to convert the dipper for use as a scoop bucket and as abackhoe bucket, respectively, and hinge means mounting the lower portionof said gate for swinging of its upper portion into such obstructingpositions, said hinge means being located substantially centrallybetween the open end portions of the dipper and at a location adjacentto the open bottom of the dipper.

4. The dredge defined'in claim 1, in which the hydraulic pump rotatedimpeller and the pump casing intake opening are disposed relatively forchopping material entering the intake opening.

5. A dredge comprising a boom normally inclined downwardly, boom pivotmeans supporting the upper.

end of said boom for elevational swinging of its lower end, a dipper,means mounting said dipper from said boom for tilting relative to saidboom, means for effecting tilting of said dipper relative to said boom,said dipper including an upright end wall adjacent to the end of saidboom and having an aperture in it, a hydraulic pump mounted on the lowerend of said boom independently of said dipper and including a casingreceived in the aperture of said dipper end wall, having an intakeopening opening directly into the interior of said dipper, and arotative impeller in said casing adjacent to said intake opening, andflexible sealing means encircling and sealed to said hydraulic pumpcasing and connected in sealed relationship to said aperture in saiddipper wall.

5373 I I UNITED STATES PATENT O F FICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PatentNo. 3,774,323 Dated November 27., 1.973

Inventor(s) James Vaughan It is certifiedthat error appears in theabove-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as, shown below:

Title page, change spelling of inventor's last name to Vaughan in bothinstances Ce lumn 4, line 55, cancel "a" and inser --an end--; line 60,cancel "first" and insert -end. I

' Column '5, line 4 after "dipper" insert --en.dline 12,

cancel "open end" and insert -openings in the endf;

Column 6, line 2 cancelfirotated" and insert ,-rotative--; lineZl, after"dipper" insert --end- Signet 1 and sealed this 10th dayof, September1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M,v GIBSON, J Y c. MARSHALL DANN Att'esting Officer 7 ICommissioner of Patents

1. A dredge comprising a boom normally inclined downwardly, boom pivotmeans supporting the upper end of said boom for elevational swinging ofits lower end, a dipper mounted on the lower end of said boom, and ahydraulic pump including a casing mounted on the lower end of said boomindependently of but adjacent to said dipper, said dipper including awall extending transversely of said boom and having an aperture thereinreceiving said hydraulic pump casing and lateral walls spaced apart,located respectively at opposite sides of said hydraulic pump casing andprojecting from said first wall in the direction away from said boom fora substantial distance to provide a chamber therebetween confiningmaterial to be pumped by said hydraulic pump and channeling suchmaterial for flow toward said pump, said hydraulic pump casing having anintake opening in one wall thereof opening directly into said confiningand channeling chamber, and said hydraulic pump including a rotativeimpeller in said hydraulic pump casing located immediately adjacent tothe side of said hydraulic pump casing intake opening opposite saidconfining and channeling chamber.
 2. The dredge defined in claim 1, inwhich the dipper wall having an aperture therein receiving the hydraulicpump casing constitutes a first end wall and the dipper has a second endwall spaced from the first dipper end wall and bridging between thelateral walls, and the intake opening of the hydraulic pump casing isdirected downwardly and toward said second end wall.
 3. The dredgedefined in claim 1, in which the dipper has an open bottom and oppositeopen end portions adjacent to said open bottom, a gate shiftable intopositions for respectively obstructing either end opening selectively toconvert the dipper for use as a scoop bucket and as a backhoe bucket,respectively, and hinge means mounting the lower portion of said gatefor swinging of its upper portion into such obstructing positions, saidhinge means being located substantially centrally between the open endportions of tHe dipper and at a location adjacent to the open bottom ofthe dipper.
 4. The dredge defined in claim 1, in which the hydraulicpump rotated impeller and the pump casing intake opening are disposedrelatively for chopping material entering the intake opening.
 5. Adredge comprising a boom normally inclined downwardly, boom pivot meanssupporting the upper end of said boom for elevational swinging of itslower end, a dipper, means mounting said dipper from said boom fortilting relative to said boom, means for effecting tilting of saiddipper relative to said boom, said dipper including an upright end walladjacent to the end of said boom and having an aperture in it, ahydraulic pump mounted on the lower end of said boom independently ofsaid dipper and including a casing received in the aperture of saiddipper end wall, having an intake opening opening directly into theinterior of said dipper, and a rotative impeller in said casing adjacentto said intake opening, and flexible sealing means encircling and sealedto said hydraulic pump casing and connected in sealed relationship tosaid aperture in said dipper wall.